 Fixity of species  “Design”

 “…the Struggle for Existence amongst all organic beings throughout the world, which inevitably follows from the high geometrical ratio of their increase, will be treated of. This is the doctrine of Malthus, applied to the whole animal and vegetable kingdoms. As many more individuals of each species are born than can possibly survive; and as, consequently, there is a frequently recurring struggle for existence, it follows that any being, if it vary however slightly in any manner profitable to itself, under the complex and sometimes varying conditions of life, will have a better chance of surviving, and thus be naturally selected. From the strong principle of inheritance, any selected variety will tend to propagate its new and modified form.”

1. Excessive fertility 2. Extensive variation of organisms 3. Competition for resources 4. “Natural selection” of advantageous variants 5. Reproduction of advantageous traits

1. Excessive fertility (observation) 2. Extensive variation of organisms (observation) 3. Competition for resources (inferred from #1) 4. “Natural selection” of advantageous variants 5. Reproduction of advantageous traits

1. Excessive fertility combined with 2. extensive variation of organisms contributes to 3. competition for resources in which there is a 4. “natural selection” of advantageous variants resulting in 5. The reproduction of advantageous traits.